Hundreds Begin 50 Mile March to Protect Blair Mountain
in Southern W.Va.

Marchers call for end to mountaintop removal,
protection of Blair Mountain, strengthened labor rights

Common Dreams June 6, 2011

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2011/06/06-2

Photos: http://marchonblairmountain.org/

MARMET, WV

Appalachia Rising: March on Blair Mountain kicked off
this morning with a press conference at the Marmet
Baseball field.  Hundreds of participants rallied and
community members called for the abolition of
mountaintop removal, the protection of Blair Mountain,
the strengthening of labor rights, and a transition to
a sustainable economy in Appalachia.  Hundreds of
participants began their peaceful trek to Blair
Mountain at approximately 10:15 a.m.

Chuck Keeney, great grandson of famed UMWA leader
during the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain spoke at the
conference.  Also speaking were Coal Country producer
Mari-Lynn Evans; Salt Rock native Brandon Nida,and
Wilma Steele, a Mingo county art teacher.  Photos are
available upon request at: [log in to unmask]

"We're here to build a better future for our kids, for
our community," said Brandon Nida, Salt Rock W.Va.
native and doctoral student of archaeology at Berkeley.

Marchers will follow the same route that coal miners
took when they marched to Blair Mountain in 1921 in an
effort to gain basic human rights and civil liberties.
The ensuing battle between 10,000 coal miners and the
coal industry's hired gunmen is remembered as the
largest armed uprising in United States history since
the Civil War, and was a landmark event in labor
struggles of the early 20th century. In March of 2009,
Blair Mountain was placed on the National Register of
Historic Places, but coal operator pressure on state
agencies led to its de-listing nine months later.

"Mountaintop removal eliminates jobs, not creates
jobs," said retired UMWA miner Joe Stanley, "I'm doing
this to preserve the history and culture Blair Mountain
represents.  If we allow them to destroy Blair Mountain
we'll forget the actions done by brave men that led to
strengthening the labor movement and creating the
middle class."

Hundreds more are expected to join throughout the
march.  The march will end with a rally in Blair,
W.Va., on June 11, where Emmylou Harris, Kathy Mattea,
Ashley Judd, and other artists will perform.  Robert F.
Kennedy, Jr., will speak at the rally, along with
acclaimed Appalachian writer Denise Giardina and
retired UMWA miner and community leader Chuck Nelson.

Mountaintop removal is an extreme form of coal mining
that involves blasting off the tops of mountains in
order to extract the seams of coal underneath.
Overburden-the industry term for topsoil, trees, and
rock containing toxic heavy metals-is dumped in
valleys, finding its way into water sources and
contaminating the drinking water of those who live
nearby. Community members living near mountains
permitted for mountaintop removal often choose to
vacate their homes rather than endure these adverse
conditions, which also include increased flooding and
poor air quality.

Mingo County native Wilma Steele said, "King coal owns
our land and our politicians, they lead them to ignore
mining safety laws and ignore every environmental law
in the book.  Our mountains are special and shouldn't
be destroyed for this"

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